North Carolina point guard Marcus Paige was a skinny freshman thrown into an unexpected starting role last season. This year, he’s become the Tar Heels’ best player, earning first-team All-ACC honors, averaging 17 points per game improving his shooting percentage by more than 80 percent.

Monday, the still-slender, but much more confident sophomore was named the ACC’s Most Improved Player.

Paige earned the award, which is being presented for the first time this season, with 27 votes, easily outpolling N.C. State star T.J. Warren with 15 and Miami’s Rion Brown with 14.

Also Monday, Virginia’s Justin Anderson was named the league’s Sixth Man of the Year. The sophomore forward averaged 8.7 points and 3.4 rebounds off the bench to help the Cavaliers to their first ACC regular season championship in 33 years.

Anderson received 29 points to beat out Florida State’s Ian Miller with 17 and UNC’s Brice Johnson with 13.